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5 Essential Questions to ask before Hiring a San Diego Home Painter

August 24, 2017

So you're a homeowner here in Encinitas, San Marcos, Carlsbad, or any other of these beautiful cities in our area and you've decided to upgrade your home with a new paint job. The next step is to reach out to local San Diego painting services and contractors for estimates. The tradition is generally to get three estimates to give you a better idea of the options available out there and help you find the best painting service for your unique project needs.

It's important to know that the contractor you hire will ultimately be able to deliver on their promises, and complete your project in a professionally, safe, quality, and timely manner.

So heading into your next estimate with a potential contractor, here are five questions you should always ask when considering them for your project.

1. Are your painters in-house employees or subcontractors?

From Encinitas to Downtown San Diego, you'll find that there are a few companies that subcontract out their painting work, and the rest employ an in-house workforce to complete their jobs. Often times, painting contractors will subcontract out to lower their costs and increase profit margins. Subcontracting out enables company's to avoid paying social security taxes and employee benefits. Generally it's also an indicator that the contractor may not have workmen's compensation insurance as well (see number 3 below). Be careful if you proceed with a subcontracted job as it puts you at risk to receive a lower quality finished prodcut, and you may have workers at your home that the contractor does not personally know who have not had background checks performed on them.

2. Does your company carry Business Liability Insurance?

A comprehensive Business Liability insurance will ensure that your property is protected by any damage that may occur while the contractor is completing your project. Accidents and mistakes shouldn't happen, but if they do, contractors should be properly prepared for it. SR Painting carry's a one million dollar liability insurance and while we've never had to use it, it does give many of our clients peace of mind that all possible scenarios are covered.

3. Does your company carry Workmen's Compensation Insurance?

Similar to the above insurance, Workmen's Compensation Insurance protects both the paint contractors workers and you the homeowner (from liablity) of any incidents that occur while they are on your property. Workmen's compensation is expensive so it's not rare for painting contractors to work without it to reduce costs. Be sure to to definitely ask any potential contractors you work with about whether or not they carry this insurance.

4. What brands and quality of materials would you be using for this job?

The quality and brand of materials used to complete your project will have a direct impact on the finished result and the number of years it will endure for. A $9.99/gallon paint will have a decreased lifespan in comparison to a $40/gallon paint job because of the type and quality of ingredients used in the paint.

Owning a home along the coast in areas like Encinitas, Carlsbad, and La Jolla means your home is daily being battered by both our beautiful California sunshine and the ocean elements. Having a high quality paint that properly bonds and is designed to endure these elements is important for the durability of your next paint job. Always verify that the paint your contractor is using is low or no VOC to ensure you're not introducing any health hazards to your home. You can find more information no VOC paints on our page here.

5. How long has your painting company been around and do they have references or reviews from past customers?

It only takes a moment, but taking a moment to Google a prospective paint contractor can make or break your decision to hire them. Every paint contractor will promise a perfect paint job, but unfortunately that's not always what is ultimately delivered.

If a painting company has been around for longer than 5 years, it's generally a strong indicator that they're consistently delivering professional quality work and are a dependable choice. Check their Yelp and Google review pages for recent feedback on how their previous customers experiences were working with that company.

While this isn't an end all list, asking these questions will put you off to a great start of finding the right Contractor for your job. It's also entirely possible they'll save you a large amount of your time, money, and the headache if help you catch any redflags before you hire a painting contractor.

If you have any questions or would like a free estimate from SR Painting, don't hesitate to reach out to us today.